MLS ALL-STAR GAME TOPICS: DRAFT, REALIGNMENT

The format for Major League Soccer's first expansion draft, which will provide the main building blocks for Chicago's new franchise, should be formalized around this time next month.

MLS Commissioner Doug Logan said the league's competition committee will meet at Wednesday's All-Star Game in East Rutherford, N.J., to discuss the work in progress.

"There is a range of plans, calling for the protection of anywhere from eight to 10 players," Logan said before Sunday's L.A. Galaxy-Guadalajara Chivas exhibition game at Soldier Field. "Some would allow teams to protect all of their internationals (foreign players).

"We are absolutely committed to making Chicago and Miami competitive immediately. We would also love to be able to bring at least two more U.S. national-team caliber players back from overseas and allocate one to each."

The committee will make a final decision the second week of August. Protected lists would likely be released in early November, with the draft itself taking place a week later.

MLS also is studying divisional realignment and may opt to split into three four-team divisions or simply add one club to each of the current five-team East and West divisions. There is some impetus to keep teams with common ownership, such as Colorado and Chicago, in different divisions.

But Logan said he doesn't think that's going to be a big issue.

"Look at the catfight we just had between Kansas City and Columbus," Logan said, referring to the fracas that erupted during a weekend match between the two teams, both owned by Lamar Hunt. The melee resulted in the ejection of both starting goalkeepers.

"To say there's no competition between those two teams is ridiculous," Logan said.

Among the initial candidates contacted: former Sting player Pato Margetic, now with the NPSL's Detroit Rockers, and Bob Gansler, who coached the U.S. national team in the 1990 World Cup. Gansler currently coaches the A-League's Milwaukee Rampage.

Wilt, who officially leaves his post as GM of the Minnesota Thunder at the end of next week, said the Chicago MLS office should have a phone hooked up by Aug. 1.

Roll-call woes: The grade for promoters of Sunday's MLS exhibition has to be an incomplete. Not only was notoriously hard-to-pin-down Galaxy goalkeeper Jorge Campos missing, but two of his teammates, who were also prominently featured in press releases, posters and other advertising, were nowhere near Soldier Field.

Eduardo Hurtado of Ecuador was called in by his national team for a World Cup qualifier against Venezuela that has long been on the calendar. Martin Machon was in his homeland of Guatemala on personal business, according to team officials.

The Shue fits: Galaxy reserve and "Melrose Place" actor Andrew Shue said he might have found new athletic life since the Galaxy's recent coaching change.

"Octavio is more of a fan of mine than Lothar was," Shue said of interim coach Octavio Zambrano, who replaced the fired Lothar Osiander two weeks ago. "Lothar seemed to hold it against me that I'm an actor. I needed to play twice as well as everyone else to get a chance."